One of the numerous issues with curly hair is a lack of volume, particularly for those with finer and denser hair types, where nearly all hairstyling products tend to weigh their hair down. But not to worry! There are tricks and helpful techniques to getting that volume you want.
How to Get More Volume in Curly Hair: Steps and Techniques
The secret to creating that much volume in your curls is to have a hairstyle routine designed to add volume; here is a breakdown of the steps:
1. A Good Wash Routine
The hair must be properly washed of product buildup, extra oil, and debris that will weigh the hair down before styling and drying. These accumulations in no way promote volume.
After thoroughly wetting your hair with water, use a moisturizing or sulfate-free shampoo to complete a healthy wash routine. Sulfate-containing shampoos excessively strip the hair of its natural oils during the cleansing process, which is problematic for us curlies because textured hair finds it challenging to carry oils from the scalp to the shaft due to the structure of the hair follicle. Therefore, robbing the hair of its natural oils is damaging and causes dryness.
To wash, dispense a generous amount of shampoo into your palm, rub it together, and massage it into the scalp. To remove buildups and dirt, you may want to use a scalp brush rather than your fingers. During this procedure, massaging the scalp promotes blood flow and hair growth.
If the volume is what you’re after, once-a-week shampooing won’t cut it; you should be shampooing twice a week. If once a week works for you, consider adding a clarifying shampoo to the mix or giving your hair an acid vinegar rinse to help remove buildup, extra oil, and dirt and restore it to its natural state.
You might also want to switch up your shampoo for one that will give your strands more volume.
Apply conditioner next, working it in from the mid-lengths to the tips. After gently detangling your hair with a wide-tooth comb, your fingers, or a wet brush, rinse your hair thoroughly.
2. Styling: Product Application
After washing, dry curls with a microfiber towel or flop them with a t-shirt; when you plop curls, you lay the soft clothing on a flat surface, flip your hair to the front, fold and drape clothing over your head and secure it in a knot. Softer clothing is kind to the hair, which results in less frizz and more defined curls.
In addition to taking an eternity to dry, applying the product to really wet hair could make it heavier. Use water-based, lightweight products on hair that is fine and low-density, and creams and coconut oils on hair that is thicker and coarser.
The raking method is an easy but effective way to apply products to get volume and definition at the root. Avoid applying the product directly at the root when using this method; instead, start at the mid-lengths and work your way to the ends, raking the product in and ensuring it is evenly distributed.
If you are brush styling, avoid brushing downward, as this stretches out the curls and gives the hair a flat appearance. Apply a small amount of gel for more hold, which will undoubtedly give you defined curls but no volume. After that, cup the curls and give them a firm squeeze as you wrap upwards, giving your hair a scrunch.
3. The Drying Process; Hacks for Root Volume
The most crucial factor in drying curls after styling is motion! Avoid standing still in one place like a statue. Flipping the hair side to side would allow for more airflow to enter the roots as it is exposed to the air as the ends are.
As the hair dries, You can also try clipping at the roots for more volume, take a claw clip, lift at the root, and clip. If you continue air drying with the clip-on, it takes the weight off your scalp allowing for more airspace and creating a lifted root.
You could also diffuse with the clip-on or with a pin up curl contraption device; Position at the base of the crown, wrap hair around it and diffuse for a few seconds. These were used to create that vintage look and pin-up curls, so you know these should be a must-try for achieving that voluminous look.
Let’s now discuss how to use a diffuser effectively. A diffuser is a blow dryer attachment that adds volume, reduces frizz, and preserves the curl pattern by promoting natural drying with evenly dispersed air.
A diffuser is the best option for volume and produces excellent results. Use low to medium heat settings to disperse, but first, section your hair and apply a heat protectant to each region to prevent further damage.
Hold the diffuser safely and in a circular motion over your head, aiming it at the root to start drying it. After a short while, continue while still directing your diffuser and flip your hair to the side; remember not to move your diffuser around too much and focus on making small head movements that would help create volume.
For a massive volume, scoop a section of curls into the diffuser bowl, turn on the heat settings for ten seconds, turn off and move to the rest sections. After diffusing and the hair is dry, fluff at the roots. Insert your fingers underneath the curls and give them a good shake.
You could also pick at the root; using a hair picker, gently lift the root; this would help with more volume, or interlock two pickers at the crown of your hair for that lift before diffusing. If you don’t have a diffuser, you could blow dryer with a strainer following the same technique as you would a diffuser.
For a waiver or looser curl pattern, try backcombing; take a section at the crown of your head, where you want that volume to be, and hold the ends of your hair brush backward gently; you don’t want to do this so much to avoid stretching out the roots.
You could also take out a section of curls and spritz on a hair spray, releasing the curls as you spray; this is another volumizing technique referred to as butterflying.
I understand if you are concerned that going to bed might reduce the volume from day one. The fear is real, but there is a trick to fix it. Wake up with the desired volume by flipping your hair, gathering it at the crown, inserting a comb clip right up against the scalp, and securing it with a silk or satin head wrap.
Sleeping with a silk or satin head wrap protects the curls from the tossing and turning at night, which, if it were on a cotton sheet, would grab hold of the strand, absorbing all its moisture and resulting in a massive ball of frizz. In the case of silk and satin head wrap, the smoothness of the surface enables the hair strands to glide through pretty easily.